Whenever challenge coins are mentioned, our hearts are filled with devotion, respect, empathy, and patriotism. Because we know that challenge coins belong to law enforcement agencies and officers in blue, who protect us. The values and respect associated with the tradition of using challenge coins have grown with generations. Our brave heroes in blue who stand on the front line for national security, who work hard and have a passion for national service, who works on the earth, in the winds, in the depths of the seas, and outdoors, they deserve to be appreciated, and their efforts deserve to be recognized. Challenge coins are a unique and lofty way of honoring our heroes in blue. Challenge coins are not only part of our precious culture but also one of our best traditions. These challenge coins are a great source of heartfelt commitment between law enforcement officers and their supporters' community.
If you are thinking of designing your challenge coins, it is essential to know the details that go into challenge coins. On what occasion should they be presented? Can we even customize challenge coins according to our taste or liking? Here we will discuss in detail some of the key points about the decoration and design of the Challenge Coins.
Conceptualize Your Challenge Coins
There are many types of challenge coins, to begin with. You can start creating your idea by taking common goals and intentions into consideration. For example, challenge coins can be used in honor of a prominent person or organization, they can be used as memorabilia, they can be used to express good wishes, can be used as a coin of appreciation, they can be used for the expression of commitment to the officers in blue, and they can be used for showing your support. You can choose or customize challenge coins according to your dynamic idea or purpose. Once you have the concept down, next is to think about the detailing that you would want.
Choosing the Artwork
Challenge coins can be created with inscriptions, sketches, images, colors, logos, and all kinds of designs. You can make your customized design or use ready-to-use designs. You can combine different edge techniques to make your challenge coins stand out uniquely. The same applies to metal plating of selected metals such as gold, silver, copper, brass, nickel, antique gold, antique nickel, and antique silver. These will enhance the beauty of the coin and also determine the value of your coin. The combination of different suitable and compatible colors will give life to your coin. It is also completely up to you to decide whether to make the coin look antique or shiny. When designing a challenge coin based on your idea, carefully check the local policies for what images, texts you can use. Make sure to check for copyrights to know for sure if there is any text included in your design that should not be included.
Challenge Coins Size & Shape
Challenge coins are often made in a round shape, but it is not set in stone to make challenge coins only in a circular shape. These coins can be made in many other shapes besides round shapes such as square, trapezoid, star, rectangle, octagon, oval, triangle, pentagon, etc. You can make your coin in the shape of your choice. When it comes to size, a diameter of 1.75 to 2 is recognized as the average size of a typical challenge coin. If you want to add the desired name, quote, badge number, symbol, icon, or slogan, you will need an extra surface area.
Thickness and Background Texture
According to the purpose of a challenge coin, the reasonable texture and appropriate thickness create a perfect and useful feeling. Generally, most challenge coins are made 3 to 3.5 mm in thickness. If you want to make an attractive impression on your coin, you must increase the thickness of your coin's design. The objects or words that form in the background of a challenge coin depend primarily on the structure of the coin, enabling the coin to be correctly understood and distinguished. After accurately estimating the thickness and texture of a coin's design, everything else is easy to manage.
Color Combination
When it comes to choosing enamels for custom challenge coins, keep in mind that colors should be selected according to your design needs. Appropriate brightness and their combinations play a crucial role in coin identification and look. It should also be noted that the selection of colors depends on the plating of coins. Colors such as blue and violet are considered the best combination with silver plating, while red and orange colors are more suitable with gold plating. The color filling process can be done by hand, and automatic machines are also used to perform this task.
Metal Plating & Edging
Challenge coin's plating is done according to the status of a coin, and the choice of edges makes the coin design and engraving stand out. Different types of edges like Plain Edge, diamond cut edge, curved edge, lettered edge, grooved edge, decorated edge are used depending on the purpose and style of the coin. Metals used in plating are gold, silver, copper, nickel, brass, copper, ancient gold, ancient nickel, etc. Plating is the essential background of a coin, and it determines the shape of the coin. The details of the coin are also clarified and obscured by the plating.
3D Challenge Coins
The 3D image highlights a coin's details in-depth and makes the details of a challenge coin much easier to understand. 3D challenge coins are a bit difficult to design. Everything from the use of colors to the choice of size requires extra consideration. Coins full of visual designs are usually useful for 3D mold depth and details. It is essential to ensure that the coin design itself has a lot of dimensions and features that can be picked up and brought up in 3D. Translucent colors are suitable for use in 3D challenge coin designs.
Get Expert Opinion
If you are having difficulty in designing your challenge coin or at any stage of it, you can consult an expert. You can find custom coin making tips on our website. You can get information from Google or other sources for your comfort.
Honoring a Loved One or Local Department
You can engrave the name, department name, accomplishment, badge number, designation, thank you, and status of your favorite officers in blue or organization in the custom-made coin of your choice and present it with honor. There is no doubt that it is a great tradition to give challenge coins as a gift or collect in recognition of man and woman in blue.
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